Reverse travel signalling device for automobiles



. Aug. 13, 1957 H. EPSTEIN ETAL 2302,441

REVERSE TRAVEL SIGNALLING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed March 22, 1955 H mv zvrom. 6/0760 Afar em Jamar fi? Pra/f Af/arnaya.

REVERSE TRAVEL SIGNALLING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Herman Epstein, Kansas City, and James R. Pratt, Independence, Mo.

Application March 22, 1955, Serial No. 495,899

8 Claims. (Cl. 116-35) by its nature is peculiarly adapted to provide an audible signal such as the ringing of a bell, is intended primarily for use in and around crowded parking areas, where the pedestrians are so numerous as to be difiicult for the driver to watch them all with sufficient care, and where the pedestrians have great difficulty in seeing the ordinary reverse travel signal lights in use on some automobiles.

Another object is the provision of a signalling device of the character described which is entirely self-contained, requiring no outside electric, hydraulic or other power connections, and which, despite the fact that it contains several relatively movable parts, requires only a single, rigid structural connection to the automobile structure. Generally, the motive power is provided by the relative movement between certain parts which revolve with a wheel of the automobile and other parts which are restrained against rotation by a pendulum-type weight.

Other objects are extreme simplicity and economy of construction, efiiciency and dependability of operation and adaptability to be mounted behind a hub cap of any ordinary automobile, in which position it is Well protected against damage from blows, and against dust, dirt and grease.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, diametric sectional .view. of

the hub portion of an automobile wheel, with parts left,

in elevation, showing a signal device embodying the present invention mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat irregular sectional view taken line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line III--III of'Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 isa Fig. 3.

lines V-V and VI- VI of Fig. 4. a

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts-through sectional view taken on line IV ---IV of.

' t 60 Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken respectively on.

United sttlw Patented posed within a recess '14" mally being covered by a removable hub cap 16.

The signalling device forming the subject matter of this invention, which is indicated generally by the'numeral 18,- is mounted within the hub recess 14 and, as detailed in Figs. 3-6, includes a tubular spindle 20 disposedsubstantially coaxially'with axle 4. To the outer end of said spindle is affixed a cup-shaped hollow bell 22, said bell' radial flange 30. The signalling device is attached to the automobile wheel by a bolt 32 which passes through the spindle and the tubular screws, and through perforations provided therefor in a pair of strap metal arms 34, and has a nut 36 threaded on the extended end thereof whereby to clamp arms 34 tightly against flange 30. Arms 34 extend radially from bolt 32, one of said arms being perforated at its outer end to engage one of bolt studs 8 and to be clamped thereon by the corresponding nut 12, and the other of said arms being longitudinally slotted at its outer end, as indicated at 38, to engage another of studs 8. It is. apparent that said arms permit the position of spindle 20 to be adjusted so as to be coaxial with axle 4. Arms 34 may also be offset intermediate their ends, as indicated at 40, so that signal device 18 will clear any projection of axle 4, or the axle bearings, into the hub recess 14.

Mounted rotatably on spindle 20, between flange 30 and a shoulder 42 formed on said spindle, are a circular carrier disc 44 and a ratchet wheel 46. Carrier disc 48, which engages flange 30, is disposed within the mouth of bell22 and nearly closes said bell, although the edge of the disc must be spaced apart slightly from the lip of the bell to .permit free vibration of said lip. Attached to disc 44 by screws 48 is a weight 50. Said weight is disposed eccentrically to spindle 20, and since it will normally hang downwardly by gravity, it serves to secure disc 44.-against rotation as the spindle turns.

Ratchet wheel 46' is freely rotatable on the spindle between shoulder 42 and' carrier disc 44; A uni-directional clutch interconnects wheel 46 with spindle 20, said clutch comprising a helical coil 52 of spring wire disposed about said spindle in frictional contact therewith. One end of said wire is free, while the other end thereof is soldered or otherwise rigidly connected to ratchet wheel 46, as indicated at 54. It will beapparent that when spindle 20 turns in thesame direction that coil 52 is wound, considering the wire as proceeding from iispoint of attachm'ent, it will. tend to tighten the coil thereabout, causing.

the ratchet .wheel to turn with the spindle. This direc-; tion represents reverse travel of the automobile, and is counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig; 4. 1 When the spindle turns in the opposite direction, as when the vehicle is moving forwardly, it tends-to unwind and loosen coil 52 thereon, so that no .greater torque can be applied to,

ratchet wheel 46 than that caused by the initial tension. ofthecoilufl; A-pivot; pin 56 is fixed in;carrier disc 44 adjacent the.

' edge. thereof, andqinspaced' apartrelationfrom ratchet;

out the several views, andthe numeral 2 applies to the hubTportion -of an automobile-wheel. The axle" 4 of.

wheel 46; Alever 5.8 is pivoted'freely on'said. pity-and. ilQS; slidably against; thesurface of disc 44,=being-retained. against said disciby aguide6tlzcarried by; and fixed to. said,

'dislcs. Said, lever normally; extends; toward ratchet wheel '46 ,substantiallyiradiallyithereto as 'shownin Fig.2, 4. 5. 13.

' pivotabxmovenienttinfone direction is limited by a stop 62.-

fixed to dis'c 44. il'trsiswurged toward: and' against isaidz stop by a spring 64 coiled aboutipin sti, the'aradially ex-1 teii'clinghdfpdi-tiriiisfbf said "spring engaging respectively 58 A spring wire arm 70 is fixed at one end to post 68,

Aug. 13, 1957 of the hub;said recessnor- A similar tubular screw 28 is threaded into the opposite endof the spindle, and is provided with a;

3; and has a..clapper 72...aflixed-to4theopposite. endnthereof... Said clapper is disposed in very slightly spaced relation from the rim of bell 22 when lever 58 is resting against stop 62 and n rovesis still farther= fromsthes bell-l asr leverl 58 pivots awawfrom'theistopa. V V 7 Iii operation so: long ass the automobilei moy'ess forwardly;.hence turningxspindle iiniaiclockwi'se direction" as lviewed' iniFiglfi 4-, cli1tch1coil 52 remainsiloosei as: pree: viously/described g .and'itra nsmits :onlys a veryrsmal-l torque to ratehettwheel' 46 and thencertor-lever f 58;- urgingzsaid lever against? stop 62. Thistorquecrisi not" sufficienttoovercome 1 the opposite: torque;- of; weight 50;, and the clutchtherefore slips; Wheneverctheautomobilei is-rea versed; it causes spindle flfl toturn in 2arcountercloekwise: direction, wherebyclutchlcoil52 is'tighten'ed:thereon as previously: described',=-thuszcausing lever SSftoJberpivoted' away from" stop: 6Z a'gainst theupressurewfzspring164':v The; force' requiredfitoipivot the/lever; which forcetis 21181111 31189; mittedi throughspin-r 5161i {01! disc 44; must ".be lessithan the opposite torque-rexertedion saichcarriendisc by'weight 50; As each tooth? of: the? ratchet wheel: passes underi lever; 58; theleveris I snapped back. against stop 624 by -springs 64; The clapper: 72 will continue to move outwardly byits inertia', fleXing arm:70, -until;itstrikes bell .22.i. The ringing will .of course bei continuous: as: long as :therautomobile. continues i to travel irearwardly.

While we haveshownand? described a specific embodi ment of our invention, it; wilLb'e-i apparent thatirnany: minor: changes/of structurecand'operatioii 'could be made without departingv frornreth'e. spirit:v of the invention; as definedby' the scope of the1appendedcl'aim's;

What we claim as new and desire to protect=byLetters Patentiisr t 1; A reverse travel signalling: device for: automobiles; comprising: a spindle adapted: to. be": fixedly attachedzto a: wheel of an automobile J substantially: coaxially'; withzthe axis 1 of rotation thereof; a: bell mounted'lon .saidlspindlea a'* carrier mountedirotatably on: said? spindle; a; weight. fixed to said carrier eccentrically. of said.spirrdle, .saidr weight being normally 'positioned .beneathisaidispindlez by gravity whereby to prevent rotationtof: said:carrier;=. a: clapper mounted'oscillatably on saidicarrier: andzioperable when actuated to strike said bell and' an opei"ative:con. n'ection between said spindle: and; saidl clapper: and; actuatedby' the rotation of-saidt spindle: relative: to :said; carrier, said connection 'being operable:when'isaid'zspindle' isturnedin. one direction to actuate: saidiclapper; and being inoperable *when said:spindle isfiturnediiirri-thet-oppoa site direction,- the direction of rotationiofzsaid; spindle producing actuation ofsaid iclappercorrespondingzto refversetravel of the automobile.

2; A reverse travel" signalling device for. automobiles comprising a=- spindle adaptedtobe fixedly attachedto. a wheel of anautomobile substantially coaxially with: the axis of rotation thereof; a bell mounted on saida spindle, a carrier mounted rotatably onlsaidi spindle; a;-. weight fixed to said carrier eccentrically ofsaidispindle, said weight being normally positioned beneath? saidl spindle by gravity whereby 'to prevent rotation of saidii carrier, 2. clapper mounted oscillatably on said carrier? and' operable when actuated i to strike -said bellgian a'ctua tor mounted rotatably on said spindle and opcrableewh'en'i turned" relative'to'said carrier toactuate said clapper, and'a uni-directional' clutch interconnecting saidl spindle andsaid actuator, said clutch being operable to turnijisaid" 65 actuator when said spindle is turned in a direction correspending to reverse travel of'thejautomobile 3. The structure as set forth1inclaim2 wherein said ,7 spindle is: cylindrical, and whereinsaid clutcli: comprises ahelical coil of resilientiwire positioned; around-said spindle in. frictionalcontact therewith and having one; end thereofaflixedlto saidzactuator'. t

' 4i Asreverse travel'signallingdevicefor. automobiles. COHJPI'iSiIIg-za spindle adapted to be fixedly; attachedatol'a 4 wheeL ofan. automobile substantially. coaxially with vthe axis of rotation thereof, a bell mounted on said spindle, a carrier mounted rotatably on said spindle, a weight fixed to said carrier eccentrically of said spindle, said weight being normally positioned beneath said spindle by gravity whereby to prevent-rotation of said carrier, a lever pivoted to said carrier on an axis parallel to and eccentric to said-spindle,2a clappermounted'on saidlver and operable by oseillationof said-lever to strike said bell, a stop on said carrier limiting the movement of said lever in one direction, a spring carried b'y'said"carrier and urging said lever against said stop, a toothed wheel mounted rotatably onsaid' spindle, the freefend of said lever engaging between-a pair ofthe teeth of said wheel, and a frictional'connection between said spindle and said toothed wheel, whereby as said spindle is turned in one direction it will transmit sufiicient torque to said toothed wheel to' pivotisaidlleverl against said-spring; land whereby as said' spindle; is turned in: the opposite? direotionthe torque transrn-itted' to said?toothedilwheel'airds thence through said lever aIId St'OP t0 Sald CaIIi1',Wiil not be sufiiciently large to rotate said carrier. p

5. A reverse travelsign'all-ing device for. automobiles comprising a spindle adap-ted to bei fixedly "attached to :a wheel of an automobile: substantially coaxial therewith,- a bell mounted onsaid spindle'; a' carriermounted rotat= ably on said'spind'le, a -wei'ght fixed toi said carrien eccen-a Y trically of said spindle,said weight being normally posi tioned'b'eneath' said spindle bygravity whereby toiprevent rotation of said carrier; a-leverpivoted' to said'carrier; on an-axisparallel to and eccentric to said spi-ndle,.aclapper mounted on said lever and operable by oscillation'of 'said-lever'to strik'e saidbell a stop on'-said cariier' limitingthe movement of said'lever in one -directi'on',.at spring carriedby said carrier'and urging saidlev'eragainst said stop, a toothed wheel mounted rotatablyi onisaidti spindle, the free end-oft'said lever engaging betweenrai pair of the teeth-of said-Wh'eeLY-anda uni-directionall clutchinterconnecting= said spindle and said: toothed: wheel, whereby' said spindle' will turn-' said wheel in a direction to move said lever away-fromsaid stop.*

6, The structure as set fortltin clainr 5 whereimthe partsare' so proportioned and positioned th'at -the rota-tive torque" applied tosaid carrier by said spindle acting: through said toothed'wheel; saidlever-and-'said springgas said lever is pivoted'agains't said springy-is -less than the opposite rotative torque applied 5 to said carrier by said weight.

7'. The structure-assetfortl'iin claim SJ Wlierein said spindle is cylindrical, and wherein said clutch comprises a helical coil of resilient'wir'e positioned around said spindle in frictional contact-therewith andihaving one end thereof fixed to said toothed wheel, said-wire b'ein'g wound around'said spindle, starting'ffomits' attached end, inia direction corresponding to the'dir'ection said wheel must turn to 'urge said-lever away-from said stope- 8. The'structure as setforth'in'clairrrS-w-herein-said' spindle is cylindrical, and whereinsaid clutch comprises a helical coil of resilient wire positioned' around said spindle in frictional contact-therewithandhavii1ohe end thereof fixed to said toothed wheel; said wire 'being woundaround said spindle; sta-rting from'its attachediend, in a direction corresponding to the direction said wheel. must turn'to urgesaid lever awayfr'om said stopythe rotational torque exerted ontsaid carrier 'liy said-spindie: through said clutch; toothed wh'eel;levenandgstopjas said lever is .urged against said stop, 'being lessztharr the: opposite torque exerted on-said:carrierlbyfisaidzzweightf References Cited inithe-fileof this patent i V UNITEDSTATESJPAIENTS f 2,252,497" Engel Aug. 112;;19'411 

